Condenser for boiler-washing systems



June 12, 1923.

L. B. GRAHAM CONDENSER FOR BCILER WASHING SYSTEMS Filed Oct.

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allmb L Q QS! Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,458,t97 PATENT orrics.

LESLIE B. GRAHAM, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA..

CONDENSER FOR BOILER WASHING SYSTEMS.

Application filed October 17, 1919. Serial No. 331,284.

reuse' in refilling the boiler, water'that is accumulated for use in washing out the boiler previous to refilling, and sludge or precipitate that is discharged into the sewer,

the practice has been introduced, prior to my present invention, of trapping the blown-off products (steam, water, and sludge) in a separator, and incorporating a spray condenser in the system in a manner to receive steam or vapor from the separator and the inherent heat of suchproducts, with a flow superinduced by the-sub-atmospheric environment produced by the condenser, and deliver the water of condensation from the condenser to the filling tank of the system, spray-water, for condensing purposes, being automatically released to the condenser as it is needed by means ofa thermostat infiuenced by the arrival ofsteam in the condenser. It has also been proposed hereto- :Eore to deliver steam from the bloWn-ofi' products to a surface condenser, the cooling medium for which is water supplied under control of a valve which is operated by the pressure or weight of blown-ofi' products. But in the former of theseemethods, condensation starts only after evaporation has continued for some while, and then only when the pressure of evaporating steam is sufiicient to force it into the condenser,while in both methods the condensing operation is dependent upon a condition which'may terminate before the process of evaporation has fully ended.

Thepresent invention has for one of its objects to provide for control of the spray water by means more directly responsive to the presence, within reach of the condenser, of blow-ofi' products having the capacity to give oif vapor or steam, with the advantage, among others, of not only getting prompt ac tion in the spray-nozzle even at relatively low temperature, but prolonging the action of the nozzle after the principal volume of steam has been condensed and so long as there is present hot water to give off vapor; and also to develop an improved mechanical control, and one independent of thermodynamics.

A further object is .to provide means for regulating at will the time of interruption of the condensin spray after the delivery of blow-off water has ceased, and thereby insuring recovery of a greater proportion of the remanent steam in the blow-01f pipe after the boiler pressure has lowered.

Accordingly, the'primary feature of the v I present invention consists in providing the spray-water valve, ina system of the kind described, with a control that is directly responsive to the presence of blow-off water in the separator; one subordinate feature incident to this primary feature consisting in the combination with the spray-water valve of a controlling means, for instance, afloat lever, water ball, and hydrostatic device that I is responsive to water level in the separator; and another subordinate feature consisting in means for regulating the discharge of water from theseparator, andthereby prolonging the time, after blow-oflf water ceases to arrive, during which a body of bl0w-ofi' water will be detained in the separator or other receptacle and utilized to hold open the spray valve, with the advantage of drawing remanent steam from the blow-off pipe or elsewhere in the system where it is permitted to linger by the then reduced pressure of the boiler. I

In the accompanying drawing, in which one embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration Figure 1 is a schematic view of that portion of a blow-off, washout, and refilling system for boilers with which the present invention is immediately concerned; and

Figure 2 is a detail view of the separator with one embodiment of spray-valve controlling element therein.

1 represents the pipe through which water is blown off from a boiler; 2 the separator into which it is delivered under the boiler pressure and from which sludge may be discharged by opening valve 2 3 the washout tank receiving water from the separator through the pipe 4:; and 5 the filling tank from the separator 2. These elements are not of my invention and may follow previously invented lines, including the means for controlling delivery of spray-water to nozzle 7, namely, the valve 9.

Valve 9 has heretofore been controlled automatically in a manner to deliver spraywater only when there is steam to be condensed, namely, by means of a thermostatic actuator subject'to heat effect of steam entering the condenser.

According to the present invention, valve 9 is controlled by the blowoff water; this is preferably by such water after reaching the separator 2, and through the medium of some convenient water-level actuated device of which various kinds are known, but which in the present illustration is alever 10 fulcrumed at 11, connected by rod 12with valve-lever 13, and under control of the float 14 within the separator. Baflie 15pr0- tects the float from impact of'incoming water and leaves the float free to act.

" Valve 2 being closed, blowoif water delivered through pipe 1 will accumulatein separator 2 up to the level of overflow pipe 4, and thereby raise the float 14' and open spray-water valve 9. This positively insures action ofthe spray, and insures it more promptly than when subjected to "the delivery of'blowolf water indirectly through the medium of rising steam' and a thermostat influenced thereby. Moreover, the spraying action will be insured and the drawing of vapor into the condenser bythe vacuum of condensation will be continued after the incoming steam-has ceased to have the volume necessary to maintain valveactuating pressure in thethermostat. Consequently, the present arrangement" causes delivery of a greater number of heat units and a greater volume of refilling water into the filling tank.

After the blowotf has ceased, the water accumulated below over-flow pipe 4 will escape through drain pipe 16 and permit the float to settle and cut off flow of spray water.

' continue.

But'drain pipe 16, besides being of such relatively small capacity as not to materially affect jwater accumulation in separator 2 under the large delivery of blowofi' 'pipe 1, may have a regulating valve 17 to control its draining effect, especially after the arrival of blowofl' water has ceased, and thus measure the time during which the water level will continue to support float 14: in valve opening position, and consequently the time during which condenser action will The importance of this arises from the fact that after blowoff water ceases to flow there still remains in the system a considerable volume of steam or vapor which will be dr'awn through the cross-over pipe by the vacuum of condensation if the action of the spray be continued.

The present invention, therefore, not only provides means independent of the condenser action to control the spray and renders such means directly responsive to the blowoff water and continues so long as such Water remains present, but provides means controlling the pressure of the water and renders the same adjustable at will.

I claim:

1. In combination witha hot water system, a receptacle receiving hot water, a condenser connected to receive vapor arising from the water in said receptacle, means in said receptacle for controlling the admission of water to said condenser that is in turn controlled by water in said receptacle and continues under control thereof during the presence of said water therein, and means for effecting a delayed discharge of water from the receptacle.

2. In combination with a hot water system, a receptacle into which hot water is delivered by the system, a condenser connected to receive vapor arising from the water delivered to said receptacle, means in said receptacle for controlling the admission of water to said condenser that is in turn controlled by the level of water in'said receptacle and continues under the control thereof during the presence of said water,

Y a condenser connected to receive vapor arising from the water delivered to said receptacle', a water supply'for'said condenser, a controlling means for said water supply that is in'turn controlledby the levelof water in said receptacle and continues under control thereof during the presence of said water, and controllable means for gradually releasing said water.

4:. Ina-hot water delivery system, a'condenser for vapor arising from.water, delivered thereby, a receptacle connected to receive water delivered by said system, and deliver vapor'therefrom to said condenser, means controlling the level of water in:said receptacle, and a control for the'vcondenser that is subject to the level of the waterin said receptacle.

5. In a hot water delivery system, a condenser for vapor arising from water delivered "thereby, a receptacle receiving water delivered by said system, and a control for the condenser that is subject to the'level of the water in saidrecept-acle; said receptacle having an outlet that limits the level of water therein'to a level at whichthe condenser is continued in" action.

6. In a hot water delivery system, a condenser for vapor arising from Water delivcred thereby, a receptacle receiving water delivered by said system, and a control for the condenser that is subject to the level of water in said receptacle; said receptacle having an outlet that limits the level of water therein to a level at which the condenser is continued in action, and a drain of less capacity than that of the water delivered by the system and which is adapted, when the delivery of water is reduced, to lower the level of water in the receptacle to that at which the condenser is arrested.

7 In a hot water delivery system, the combination of a condenser fol-vapor arising from water delivered thereby, a receptacle receiving water delivered by said sys-' tern, and a control for the condenser that is subject to the level of water in said receptacle; said receptacle having an outlet that limits the level of water therein to a level at which the condenser is continued in action, and a drain of less capacity than that of the water delivered by the system and which is adapted, when the delivery of water is reduced, to lower the level of. water in the receptacle to that at which the condenser is arrested; said drain having an adjustable valve for determining the time required to arrest the condenser.

'8. In a boiler washing system, a separator having a blowoft pipe through which it receives blowoff water and having an overflow for water accumulating therein, a condenser receiving vapor from said separator, a spray for said condenser, a wat r level actuated controlling means for said spray subject to the level of water in the separator, and a drain for said condenser of less capacity than the blowoff pipe.

9. A blow off and refilling system for boilers, comprising means for receiving and separating the blown oli" products from the boiler, a condenser connected to receive the vapor of said blown off products, means operated by a part of the blown off products for controlling the admission of condensing water to the condenser, and means for gradually terminating the action of said controlling means.

Signed at East Chicago, Indiana,this 4th day of Oct, 1919.

LESLIE B. GRAHAM. 

